Gators tap Dowling as golf coach

Florida hired Dowling as its golf coach Monday, giving the former "Big Break" contestant her first head coaching job.

Dowling replaces Jill Briles-Hinton, who resigned last month after the Gators finished 16th in the NCAA East regional played in Gainesville.

Dowling spent one year as an assistant at Duke and two seasons as an assistant at Kent State. She also played professionally for almost three years before entering the coaching ranks. From 2003 to 2005, she competed on the Futures Tour and on the Canadian Women's Tour.

The Bradford, Ontario, native also participated in the Golf Channel's reality TV series "Big Break" in 2005.